The PWHL is opening its books, welcoming first-ever outside PWHL investors Kilmer Sports Ventures and Ilitch Companies via a reported $100 million buy-in.
It marks Toronto-based Kilmer Sports’s second women’s sports stake, after Larry Tanenbaum’s multi-team operation backed the WNBA’s Tempo ahead of its 2026 debut.
Chris Ilitch’s Ilitch Companies — parent to Detroit’s Tigers (MLB) and Red Wings (NHL) — already manages Little Caesar’s Arena, home to Detroit’s incoming PWHL expansion team.
The league is gearing up to enter its fourth season amid record growth, surpassing one million fans and seeing a 28% jump in attendance. Alongside the new PWHL investors, it continues to operate under a single-entity model led by Mark and Kimbra Walter.
“Building world-class women’s sports organizations that inspire the next generation of athletes, fans, and leaders is how you create something that truly lasts,” Tanenbaum said in a league statement.
“We’re proud to deepen that commitment through this significant investment in the PWHL.”
